World's first personalized electronic drug recall notice -- creating a
new paradigm for the 21st century

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National drug safety
experts, including representatives from the Center for Medicine in the
Public Interest (CMPI) and the Critical Path Institute (CPI), will gather
at the National Press Club and call for an improved approach to providing
consumers with real time and individualized information about the risks and
benefits of drugs on the market.

Raising issues and looking at solutions available to people today, the
panel will investigate the role of patient-centric drug safety; the role of
patients in managing their medicines; new efforts to reduce the risk
associated with prescription drugs; and new tools available to patients and
physicians that empower them to have current, personalized information.

With nearly half of all Americans taking a prescription drug and one in
six taking three or more, the opportunity for improved health and safer,
more effective prescribing is significant.

In addressing this growing problem, drug safety experts will urge
people to take a more active role in understanding the risks and benefits
of their medicines through real time updates -- something that headline
news or research cannot provide today. Journalists and representatives from
patient advocacy groups will have the opportunity to have dialogue with the
experts on critical and timely issues.

First direct-to-patient medication recall a major milestone in patient
safety

In a world-first for patient safety, iGuard.org -- a new, free
medication safety information service--recently sent the first personalized
electronic nationwide recall alert to patients who take gabapentin. The
recall, voluntarily initiated by Ranbaxy Laboratories, affects more than 73
million tablets worldwide. More than 400 iGuard registrants take gabapentin
and received the alerts.

"We are really proud to be part of this first patient-centric
medication recall," said Dr. Hugo Stephenson, founder and president of
iGuard. "Based on the overwhelmingly positive reaction we've had from
patients and doctors, it's about time we started thinking about who needs
this information the most.... patients!"

Mrs. J. Rogers, a recent registrant with iGuard, said, "I never would
have heard about the [gabapentin] recall had it not come to me directly.
I'm surprised and shocked that such a system wasn't in existence already."

Stephenson said, "For years we have taken for granted that we'll get
personal recall notices for the cars we buy. Now the same opportunity is
finally available for people that take medications."

iGuard provides patients with a simple way to check interactions
between their medications and receive personalized alerts and recall
notices as they occur. In its first month of operation, and still in its
"beta" stage, iGuard has registered almost 7,000 users and is averaging
between 250 and 500 new registrations per day.

Despite recent attempts to communicate drug safety questions earlier,
agencies such as the FDA and manufacturers have been hampered in their
ability to reach patients with safety communications. iGuard represents a
simple way for patients to voluntarily register for alerts without
compromising their privacy. iGuard receives information for its alerts from
regulators such as the FDA, from manufacturers, and from major journals
that it monitors for breaking research.

About CMPI

CMPI is a non-profit institution founded to promote advances in
genomics and health information technology that make medicine more
predictive, preventive and personalized. We do that through research,
outreach and solutions focusing on how to use 21st century science to
personalize medicine, improve wellbeing and extend life.

About iGuard

iGuard is the fastest and easiest way for patients to get information
and safety updates on the drugs they are taking. This drug safety
monitoring program facilitates bi-directional exchange of timely and
relevant information, enabling patients to take an active role in managing
their health. iGuard maintains an efficient communication channel where
patients and health professionals can monitor, evaluate and share
information about drug risks and benefits. Registration is free online at
http://www.iguard.org

About The Critical Path Institute

Based in Tucson, Ariz., with offices in Rockville, Md., The Critical
Path Institute (C-Path) was established in 2005 as an independent nonprofit
research and education institute to serve as a "trusted third party" for
collaborations among scientists from government, industry and academia.
C-Path's vision is to help implement the FDA's Critical Path Initiative by
developing faster, safer and smarter pathways to new medical products. For
more information, visit http://www.C-Path.org.
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